Mildura woman allegedly tried to import date rape drug

An alleged shipment of a drug linked to date rapes and overdoses bound for regional Victoria has been intercepted by authorities.

Police allege a Mildura woman, 33, attempted to import about 500ml of 1.4 Butaneiol into Victoria, but the package was intercepted at Melbourne Airport by Australian Border Force in June this year.

The woman was arrested at an address in Mildura, about 540km north of Melbourne, on Friday morning following a three month, multi-agency investigation into the importation of drugs bound for the regional town.

She has been charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border-controlled substance, which is a Commonwealth offence.

The harmful substance is commonly known as bute and is linked to sexual assaults and overdoses, the Australian Federal Police have previously warned.

The substance is an industrial solvent that naturally converts into GHB when ingested, depressing and slowing down the functions of a person’s nervous system.

The woman was remanded in custody and is due to appear in the Mildura Magistrates’ Court on December 16.

Originally published as Mildura woman allegedly tried to import date rape drug